Treating the Underlying CausesA number of conditions can contribute to heart failure. Treatment of these other factors may range from surgery or angioplasty to open clogged blood vessels in patients with coronary artery disease to medications prescribed to control high blood pressure, diabetes, anemia or thyroid disease. In addition, it's particularly important to treat abnormal heart rhythms called arrhythmias in patients with heart failure. Show
Lifestyle ChangesThese modifications often improve or control some of the factors contributing to heart failure. For example, people with heart failure will see an improvement if they:
MedicationsA number of medications are prescribed for heart failure, and most patients will take more than one drug. Medications may be prescribed to:
Types of medication include:
SurgerySurgical options to treat underlying causes of heart failure
Surgical treatments for heart failure itself include: Heart TransplantationAlthough a heart transplant may be the best option for patients with the most severe types of heart failure, this treatment is available to only a small number of people due to a shortage of donor hearts. Recent advances may make artificial heart transplantation an option in the future. Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVAD)These may be implanted in the chest to increase heart pumping action. Until recently, LVADs required that the patient be hooked up to a large, hospital-based console while awaiting a transplant. Miniaturized battery-powered LVAD units, however, are allowing many patients to leave the hospital. The devices may be used as a primary treatment or as a bridge to heart transplant in adults. Heart ReconstructionThe electrical signals that cause the heart to contract move in a spiral pattern. Ideally the heart is an elliptical shape, like a football, for this makes it easier to receive the electrical signals that trigger heartbeats. In heart failure, the heart often enlarges and become spherical, more like a basketball, which no longer "fits" the electrical pattern and makes the heart less efficient. A number of promising surgical procedures are being investigated to address this problem by reconstructing parts of the heart to normalize its shape. These heart reconstruction procedures include:
What is the goal of treatment for congestive heart failure?The goals of heart therapy are to: Relieve symptoms and improve quality of life. Slow disease progression. Reduce the need for emergency room visits and hospitalization.
What are the goals for a patient with heart failure?The goal of treatments for heart failure is to relieve symptoms; reduce the chances that you will develop complications; and slow, stop, or reverse the progression of the underlying process.
What is the primary goal of therapy for a client with pulmonary edema and heart failure?The goals of therapy are to improve oxygenation, maintain an adequate blood pressure for perfusion of vital organs, and reduce excess extracellular fluid.
What is a goal of pharmacological therapy in the treatment of acute heart failure?Goals of HF therapy include improving survival and reducing morbidity such as hospitalizations and symptoms, while improving functional capacity and quality of life. Figure 4 outlines a therapeutic approach to patients with HFrEF that is considered optimal medical therapy and defined as GDMT throughout this section.
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